Derby and mute rack holder



April 1, 1952 wI BERG 2,591,041

DERBY AND MUTE: .RACK HOLDER Fled NOV. 20, 1945 6 2 Y f2 L u 11.1.@ 1l l Q L s y INVENroR.

Patented Apr. 1, i952 UNITED STATES PATENT yOFFICE DERBY AND MUTE RACK HOLDER Willie Berg, Chicago, Ill.

Application November 20, 1946, Serial No. 711,066

` 2 Claims. 1

The present invention is directed to holders foi` accessories for musical instruments, particularly wind instruments, wherein mutes. of various types are used at times by the musicians.

Heretofore a musician playing a wind instrument had before him a music stand holding the music which he played. He also had a number of mutes of various types and sizes, such as the ordinary conical or similar mute, and the derby mute. These were kept by the musicians around them on the iioor and whenever a cue to the music required a certain type of mute, the musicians reached down and picked up the one required. This was rather inconvenient and he often picked up the wrong mute. Also in groping for the right mute, the musician was likely to lose his cue. In addition, mutes would often become displaced accidentally from the position in which the musician placed it so that when he reached for it, it would be out of position.

The present invention is intended and adapted to overcome the diiculties and disadvantages inherent in the prior use of mutes, it being among the objects of the present invention to provide a device which is adapted to hold in adjusted positions a number of mutes which can be readily reached by the musician without the necessity of taking his eyes ofi the music.

It is also among the objects of the present invention to provide a device of the character described which may be readily attached to or removed from the ordinary music stand placed before the musician and which is adapted to hold a number of mutes.

it is still further among the objects of the present invention to provide a device for holding mutes which is simple in construction, easy to operate and convenient in use.

In practicing the present invention there is provided an elongated member usually in the form of a plate having depending sides and means secured to the back thereof for attaching the same to a music stand. Along the front edge thereof are a number of holders for mutes. Each of the holders consists of a bracket having a pair of convexly bowed wings extending from the elongated member and comprising approximately three-fourths of a circle. The iront has an opening and the front end of the wings are turned outwardly to avoid sharp edges and to facilitate the introduction or removal of a mute from the holder. There is also provided at one side of the elongated member a loop which is adapted to hold a derby mute. Said loop is Aattached to a rod which in turn is adjustably secured to the rack so that musicians may suitably adjust the position of the loop to suit his requirements.

Such a rack is always in front of the musician and contains all of the mutes which he requires during the playing period. It does not interfere with his vision and he may just as readily read the Imusic as heretofore. There is the added advantage that without taking his eye from the music, he may reach out and instantly (pick up any model or type of mute which he needs, with sunicient time available to him so `that he will not be out of time or lose his cue.

In the accompanying drawing constituting a .part hereof, and in which like reference characters indicate like parts,

Fig. 1 is a top plan view-of a rack made in accordance with the present invention, some parts being broken away for clearness;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view thereof, and

Fig. 3 is an end elevational view thereof,'1ooking from the side on which the derby mute holders are located.

The rack consists of a ilat, elongated member I usually made of metal but capable of being fabricated in any desired materials, such as wood, plastics or the like. At the front and rear are depending sides 2 and 3, respectively, approximately at right angles to the plane of member I. At the ends are similar depending sides 4 and 5.

Along the ends of depending side 3 are a pair of plates E, the outer edges I of which are bent i around parallel to plates 6, and having channels 8 therein, constituting a pair of clips adapted to embrace the upstanding front edge of vthe stand. Plates S extend a substantial distance above the top of member I and a short distance 9 below the same. Channels 8 .constitute means whereby the elongated member may be slipped over a part of the music stand and thus be held in position.

Along the front edge 2 of member l is provided a plurality of mute holders shown as 5 in number, although various numbers of such holders may be provided. Each holder consists of a base It secured to side 2 in any suitable manner as by welding or riveting. It isiormed with parallel sides I I at right angles to base II) and bowed winsr portions I2. Such wings are arcs of a circle having a common center. They terminate ataJ point so that a substantial opening I3 is provided between the same. The front edges I4 of wings I2 are curled outwardly and the extreme ends l5 thereof are in substantial contact with the wings themselves.

There is thus provided a relatively large space I6 between the wings and since most mutes have a smaller and a larger end, the smaller end may be inserted horizontally through space I3 and into space It. The musician then allows the mute to drop so that its wide end contacts wings I2 and is held in adjusted position. When it is desired to remove the mute from the holder, a musician lifts it somewhat from wings I2 and then pulls it forwardly through space I3. This avoids the danger of th-e cork band which is cemented to the outside of the mute, from being torn oir as there is no actual contact of such cork with the elements of the holder.

A bracket I1 is attached to side 4 by plate I8 in any suitable manner, as by welding or riveting. A washer I9 contacts .bracket I'I and a screw 20 passes through the.washer and bracket and is topped by thumb nut 2|. Screw 20 is fixed in opening 22 in block 24. By loosening or tightening thumb nut 2| block 24 may be rotated in bracket I1. A rod 25 passes through transverse central opening 2B in block 24. At the upper end thereof is a loop 21 o f suiiicient size so as to hold a derby mute, the free end of rod 21 terminating at 28. Set screw 29 having a linger head 3|) is threaded into block 24 so as to contact rod 25.

By this arrangement, the musician may retain the derby in holder or loop 21 in any desired position relative to the music stand. It may be in the position shown in the drawing or by loosening screw 29 rod 25 may be shifted upwardly or downwardly as desired by the musician. By manipulation of thumb nut 2|, block 24 and loop 21 may be oscillated away from the vervtical either towards the music stand or away Also, rod 25 may be reversed Afrom the same. Y and loop 21 may be held below rather than above member There are numerous advantages residing in the present invention. The rack may be made to t a variety of music stands, and is of a collapsible character so that when removed from the stand, it may be packed in a small volume for transportation and storage. It may be readily fitted onto and removed from the music stand without the necessity of using any screws or clamps. Usually the size of loop 21 is slightly larger than the outside of the derby crown so that the musician may quickly remove the derby from and return the same to the holder in a moment. This is of considerable importance to the musician, due to the present fast tempo of music, numerous changes and other eiiects which appear in the piece being played. The bowed holders have considerable advantages in that a musician may return a mute to the holder by simply extending his arm so that the mute enters the opening and then letting it go and it falls positively into position. A similar convenience is obtained in removing the mute from the bowed holders.

Although the invention has been described setting forth a single embodiment thereof, various changes in the details of the construction may be made within the spirit of the invention.

For instance, holding brackets 6 may be made l of quite a different shape and the brackets may be made removable so that a different form may be substituted for the same to accommodate different types of music stands. Also, such brackets need not be at the outer extremities of member but maybe at intermediate points.

In Fig. 4 there is shown one of the possible modications of holding brackets. It includes a strip 3| in contact with side 3 of holder the lower end of said strip being turned upwardly at 32 to embrace the lower edge of side 3. It is suitably secured in place by crimping, Welding or otherwise. Said strip extends substantially across the entire rear of the holder. It is doubled upon itself at 33 to form a space 34 and the. lower edge 35 thereof is turned inwardly. Space 34 is of such dimensions that it is capable of embracing an upstanding rear portion of a music stand.

Other devices for adjusting the position of loop 21 may be provided and equivalent mechanical devices may be utilized in order to obtain the type of movement attributed to loop 21. Ihe number of bowed holders may be varied at will and a greater or lesser number may be provided. Member need not be flat and rectangular but may be of various other shapes as desired and the attaching means may be placed on the lower side thereof instead of the rear. Various materials of construction may be used and the several elements may be attached to the elongated member by well-known and conventional methods.

These and other changes in the details of the invention may be made within the principles herein set forth and the invention is therefore to be broadly construed and not to be limited except by the character of the claims appended hereto.

I claim:

1. A rack for holding musical instruments comprising a relatively thin elongated ilat plate member, U-shaped channel members on the rear edge of said plate adapted to fit over an upstanding portion of a music stand and to hold the flat face of said plate in a substantially horizontal position, a block on one end edge of said plate and extending laterally therefrom, a substantially straight rod having a loop on one end thereof, said loop adapted to hold a derby mute therein, the other end of said rod passing through said block, a set screw in said block adapted to contact said rod, said rod being at an angle to said Iiat face, the plane passing through said loop being outwardly of said end edge of said plate and substantially parallel thereto, and forwardly and horizontally extending mute holders on the front edge of said plate.

2. A rack for holding musical instruments comprising a relatively thin elongated flat plate member, U-shaped channel members on the rear edge of said plate adapted to t over an upstanding portion of a music stand and to hold the at face of said plate in a substantially horizontal position, a block on one end edge of said plate and extending laterally therefrom, a substantially straight rod having a loop on one end thereof, said loop adapted to hold a derby mute therein, the other end of said rod passing through said block, a set screw in said block adapted to contact said rod, said rod being at an angle to said fiat face, the plane passing through said loop being outwardly of said end edge of said plate and substantially parallel thereto, and forwardly and horizontally extending mute holders on the front edge of said plate, said channel members being at opposite ends of said plate, the open ends of said U extending inwardly, the height of said channel members being substantially* greater than the thickness of said plate.

WILLIE BERG.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 250,291 Seely Nov. 19, 1881 643,715 Folger Feb. 20, 1900 1,170,684 Schlieckert Feb. 8, 1916 1,190,502 Anderson July 11, 1916 1,343,363 Hall June 15, 1920 1,747,951 Reichert Feb. 18, 1930 1,892,500 Bleckley Dec. 27, 1932 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 694,378 France Sept. 15, 1930 

